A top heavy group of receivers here, with many more question marks than sure things compared to recent drafts. Even the consensus top name, Tetairoa McMillan, has been allegedly falling out of the top ten on many teams draft boards-- even those with big needs at the position.
Nonetheless, an interesting bunch of guys to consider, bringing a variety of skillsets to the table.
Tetairoa McMillan:
Arizona 6' 5" 212 lbs. 4.50 40-Time
Big-bodied X-receiver that most coaches only dream of. Pure hands catcher who'll make his way back to the ball or up the ladder to snag the ball. A knack for finding open space to provide windows to his quarterback. Not afraid to go over the middle, with the ability to line up on the outside or in the slot. Good vision with the ball in his hands, able to accelerate off of cuts effectively. Boasts a fairly refined route tree.
More of a strider than a sprinter, although his functional speed is more than adequate. Route running could be sharper, often taking rounder cuts than preferred. Not always effective versus press coverage from physical cornerbacks.
Summary: Arguably the most hyped player to ever come from Arizona, McMillan fits the classic mold for an X. As mentioned above, there are some rumors of his stock dropping into the teens, but make no mistake that this is a guy who's going to make his impact felt early and often for whatever team scoops him-- in the red zone at a bare minimum. If he can improve his release off the line, McMillan may end up becoming one of the better values in round one. Shades of Alshon Jeffery.
Emeka Egbuka:
Ohio State 6' 1" 205 lbs. 4.30 40-Time
An all-time Buckeye receiver-- high praise for the 22-year-old. Smooth route runner, able to put even the sharpest of corners on their heels. Pure hands catcher that routinely picks up extra yardage after the catch. Elite concentration, adept at making difficult catches in traffic. Operates masterfully over the middle of the field with a knack for finding open space.
Projects more as a slot receiver than an X, often being put into pre-snap motion to help free him from press coverage. Could struggle getting off the line against more physical pro defenders. Missed some time and underwent ankle surgery in 2023 which plenty of teams will be looking into. Run blocking leaves room to improve.
Summary: Egbuka would've been a first round pick last year too, but chose to return to Columbus and boost his stock with another strong season. The man thrives in space, with all the makings of a top-tier WR2. If he can improve his physicality at the line of scrimmage, his ceiling may be among the highest in this class. A surefire plug and play guy.
Matthew Golden:
Texas 6' 0" 195 lbs. 4.38 40-Time
Wicked fast and fluid runner who'll take the top off of any defense. Incredibly sudden, with the ability to stop and accelerate to full speed at a pace few can match. Makes contested catches at full speed, whether they're in stride or slightly behind him. A menace in the open field, easily beating pursuing defenders to the angle for additional yardage. Can chip in as a kick returner immediately.
Would benefit from bulking up his lean frame to help deal with the physical style of play the NFL will throw at him. Run blocking isn't great, would probably benefit from that bulk. Too many concentration drops-- especially when considering his ability to make the difficult plays. Some potential medical red flags, having undergone ankle surgery in 2023.
Summary: This draft's premier home run hitter, Matthew Golden is going to be electric wherever he ends up. Worst case scenario, he's a kick returner that has a few scripted offensive plays each game as a rookie. But if he cleans up some of the little things and achieves anything close to his ceiling, he'll be able to emerge as the field stretching monster he was at Texas.
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| Photo: Matthew Gorman/ Getty Images |
Luther Burden III:
Missouri 5' 11" 208 lbs. 4.41 40-Time
Shifty, strong and fast. A real weapon with the rock in his hands. Able to take carries for big gains; Deebo-esque. Impressive acceleration, bursting into open space as soon as the ball's secured. Good concentration, willing and able to work back on underthrown passes to secure difficult catches. Strong run blocker who can line up at any receiver spot.
A high percentage of his touches were within five yards of the LOS, raising questions about his route tree aptitude. Routes occasionally more rounded than sudden. Struggles, or potentially a lack of experience, against physical press corners may be an obstacle in the league.
Summary: A Swiss-Army type receiver, with plenty of burst to make an impact on the next level. Missouri's offense didn't give him a ton of opportunity to develop his downfield routes, which could steepen his rookie learning curve, but plenty of raw tools to work with. Would be most effective out the gate in a system where he can motion regularly and exploit opposing defenses with quick hitting routes.
Elic Ayomanor:
Stanford 6' 2" 210 lbs. 4.42 40-Time
Prototypical X build but works well out of the slot. Sharp route runner with secure hands. Great body control on difficult catches, works his way back to the ball and runs physically once he's got it. Strong run blocker.
Doesn't always high point the ball as effectively as he could. More body-catches than you'd prefer to see, on top of some drop issues. Doesn't appear as fast as his 40 time indicates, with in-game acceleration leaving room for growth.
Summary: Shining through poor quarterback play, Elic Ayomanor's a versatile, big-bodied receiver that any NFL team would benefit from. He may never be a true game wrecker, but he'll certainly deliver some big plays that few other receivers could make. Could be a Courtland Sutton-like skillset in the right situation.
Isaiah Bond:
Texas 5' 11" 180 lbs. 4.28 40-Time
Extremely fast and very sudden. A tactician on underneath routes, with acceleration, change of direction and vision to take it all the way through the smallest gaps. More than capable of making chunk gains downfield, torching defenders that can't jam him at the line. Strong hands catcher. Had success with designed runs in 2024, taking 4 carries for 98 yards and a score.
Weighs in at just 180, putting him very much on the lighter side of NFL receivers. Exciting measurables weren't always matched with on-field production, only posting 1,529 total yards in three years between Texas and Tuscaloosa. Occasionally relies too much on athleticism and less on technique.
Summary: Has the physical tools to be an absolute menace as a slot or Z receiver, though he's got plenty of detail work to refine. Will be able to immediately contribute on special teams and is definitely a guy you could scheme up for some dangerous quick hitters, but his tiny stature could be a huge obstacle for him on the next level. Plays a lot like Tavon Austin, but with substantially less collegiate production.
Tre Harris:
Ole Miss 6' 3" 210 lbs. 4.55 40-Time
Tall and strong. Adept at finding soft spots in zones and plenty capable of beating man to man coverage on the outside. High points the ball with the best of them, utilizing his height to haul in passes many receivers couldn't touch. Immediately turns up field once he's secured the catch, almost always tacking on additional yardage. Put together some monstrous performances last season, most notably combining for 18 catches and 278 yards versus Kentucky and LSU.
Not the fastest receiver you'll come across, could also be more physical for his size. Has a bit of a groin injury history that teams will want to look into. Route tree could use some work, especially if he wants to maximize his frame.
Summary: While not quite the prospect AJ Brown was out of Ole Miss, Tre Harris does bear some resemblance. He's got the size to replicate his playing style too, though he needs to increase his physicality to truly max out his potential. Could become a real sleeper if developed appropriately, with a Tee Higgins-like skillset.
Jack Bech:
TCU 6' 1" 215 lbs. 4.55 40-Time
Wide frame, uses it well to box out opposing corners. Soft hands, almost never drops the ball-- and a physical runner after the catch. Capable of lining up in the slot or perimeter and doesn't fall victim to press coverage easily. Unafraid to snag passes while in traffic, emerging as a reliable safety blanket.
Acceleration is lacking and speed won't ever take the top off a defense. Rounds out his routes too regularly, could sharpen up in that area. Only one truly productive season in four years between LSU and TCU, racking up 55% of his career yardage in 2024. Adept at finding space to operate but lacks burst to personally separate from defenders.
Summary: Bech is a steady, albeit unexciting prosect in this middling wide receiver group. He doesn't possess the physical upside to ever be viewed as a WR1 in a quality receiver room, but he could surely emerge as a great jump ball guy and chain mover wherever he ends up. A good combine didn't hurt his draft stock.
Jalen Royals:
Utah State 5' 11" 210 lbs. 4.38 40-Time
Very fast, able to work out of the slot or on the outside. Great concentration, producing some highlight-reel grabs in his two years at Utah State. Hard to tackle in space, always looking to pick up extra yards after the catch. Great field vision and acceleration. Former basketball player, with agility that's translated onto the grid iron.
Not particularly impressive against press coverage. Some will say he didn't play against top tier competition in his two collegiate seasons. Much of his success was deep balls or receptions right around the line of scrimmage-- needs to refine his route tree. Not the strongest blocker.
Summary: Ironically, plays a lot like former pro Eddie Royal-- though Jalen's got about 15 pounds on him. Can certainly be a weapon in the right system, with potential to really shine if he can further develop his intermediate routes. His success in just two years of college ball indicate that he's a willing learner, which he'll need to be to hit his ceiling.
Tez Johnson:
Oregon 5' 9" 156 lbs. 4.33 40-Time
Incredibly shifty and sudden, with fantastic vision in the open field-- a big time YAC weapon. Tracks deep passes well as he takes the top off opposing defenses. Skilled at finding the soft spots in zones, with eye-popping acceleration once the catch is secured. Experience as a returner on special teams.
Very small frame, with minimal room to really fill out. His 4.55 at the combine was the slowest in years for a receiver under 170 pounds, possibly suggesting that he's attempted to bulk up at the expense of his speed. Raw route tree, with most of his damage being done on deep patterns. Uses his body too often to secure catches. Will struggle at the next level against physical corners.
Summary: Few receivers hurt their stock at the combine more than Tez Johnson, running almost 1/5 of a second slower than his initially listed 40 time. When you crunch the tape, it's clear to see that the former Oregon Duck is one of the more dangerous players you'll come across with the ball in his hands, but he's tiny and has some bad habits to work on. Potential to end up being a day-three steal, but there's a ton of red flags to overlook for any team considering him earlier.
Tai Felton:
Maryland 6' 1" 186 lbs. 4.61 40-Time
Good vision, utilizing blockers and patience, rather than just raw speed, to maximize yards after catch. Strong hands catcher, showing good chemistry with his QB on broken/extended plays. Solid on the short and intermediate routes, really seems to understand and exploit how the defense is trying to cover him.
Decent burst, rarely going to burn anybody before or after the catch. Needs to add some muscle and physicality to his game-- could have trouble against physical pro corners, in the run and pass game. Few true highlight-reel catches either, seemingly lacking that ability to secure tough passes.
Summary: Our first Maryland Terrapin in the scouting reports, had to rep at least one local kid! Felton excels at quick hitters, using great footwork and fakes to wiggle out space where there's little to be found. A pure hands catcher with fantastic awareness on the field. But the explosiveness is really lacking, which likely limits his ceiling at a WR2. Will need to shore up his blocking to earn more playing time, but could be a first down machine wherever he ends up.
Jayden Higgins:
Iowa State 6' 4" 217 lbs. 4.55 40-Time
Regularly shows a willingness to fight back through defenders for underthrown balls. Adept at making really difficult catches through contact. Elite tracking skills and soft hands. Stands at 6' 4" with a wingspan just under 80 inches, giving his QBs a massive target to connect with. Quick for his size, capable of lining up on the perimeter and slot.
Acceleration before and after the catch has room to improve, as could his run blocking. Straight-line speed not quite as fast as his 40 projects-- more of a strider than a sprinter. Susceptible to getting knocked off his timing at the line of scrimmage by press coverage.
Summary: Higgins is a massive target with the versatility and skillset to line up all over an offense. He's willing and able to fight through contact to make difficult catches, though he needs to get better at using his large body to box out the opposing defenders in the first place. If he improves against press coverage, his floor will be a strong red zone target. But if he can increase his physicality down the field and acceleration after the catch, he could end up having one of the higher ceilings in this class.
Honorable Mention:
Xavier Restrepo, Jaylin Noel, Savion Williams, Kyren Lacy
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@Choppinglines
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